Indian Cricket Captain Brushes Off Spot-Fixing Questions; Pressure On Srinivasan Heats Up

Indian cricket captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni "refused to break" the Board of Control for Cricket in India gag on him in answering questions on the spot-fixing scandal that has hit the Indian Premier League except to say some players are "slightly mentally weak" compared to others, according to the PTI. Addressing a press conference ahead of the Champions Trophy, he said that he would "not answer questions relating to the recent controversies." Dhoni had "come under severe attack from media and commentators for his silence in refusing to answer questions at the Mumbai interaction." Asked about the spot-fixing scandal Thursday, Dhoni said, "If I have not answered Indian journalists, there is no reason why I should answer you...at the right time (I will speak)" (PTI, 5/30). In London, Andy Wilson noted a reporter asked whether the tournament "offers an opportunity to restore the reputation of Indian cricket?" Dhoni said, "It's not that the reputation is gone." He added, "I don't think we have lost reputation because whatever the set-up will be throughout the world or in any sport, still you'll have people who will be slightly mentally weak compared to some of the others. I would have loved to elaborate, but at the right time I'll do it" (GUARDIAN, 5/30).
CALLS FOR RESIGNATION: The PTI also reported voices of dissent against embattled BCCI President N. Srinivasan "are becoming louder by the day." Officials from the Goa and Assam Cricket Association have joined the chorus of demand for his resignation. Goa Cricket Association VP Shekhar Salkar said, "He has to resign, there is no other option. How can you continue when your son-in-law is involved, he is involved with CSK, it is just not possible to have an impartial probe till he resigns" (PTI, 5/30). THE HINDU reported Justice T. Jayarama Chouta said that summoning Srinivasan "will depend on the scope of the probe." Chouta, who is on the three-member commission appointed by the Board, said that the commission "would discharge its duty as per the terms of reference, and it was not for the panel to ask him to quit" (THE HINDU, 5/30). The PTI reported ridiculing the IPL "for turning cricketers into a bunch of avaricious people," World Cup winning Sri Lankan captain Arjuna Ranatunga said that the cash-awash T20 league "has given Indian cricket nothing but disrepute." Ranatunga: "It is making cricketers greedy. Everyone wants to play IPL now and the focus has been shifted. I don’t understand the need for such a league. What has Indian cricket gained from it? It is spoiling players. I don’t remember any world class player produced from IPL" (PTI, 5/30).